French military and intelligence officials have accused China of deploying its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets following the aerial combat between India and Pakistan in May. According to a report by The Associated Press, Beijing is allegedly working to harm the reputation and sales of France’s flagship fighter aircraft.
The Chinese embassies are reportedly trying to undermine Rafale sales by persuading countries that have already ordered the jets, notably Indonesia, not to buy them and instead choose Chinese-made fighters. French officials claim that this is part of a broader disinformation campaign aimed at promoting Chinese military hardware and weakening France’s defense industry.
“The Rafale was targeted by ‘a vast campaign of disinformation’ that ‘sought to promote the superiority of alternative equipment, notably of Chinese design’,” the French Ministry for Armed Forces said. “The Rafale was not randomly targeted. It is a highly capable fighter jet, exported abroad and deployed in a high-visibility theatre.”
French air force chief General Jerome Bellanger confirmed that countries that have bought Rafales did indeed ask questions about the jets’ performance after Pakistan claimed to have downed five Indian planes, including three Rafales, during the conflict. However, Bellanger said he has seen evidence pointing to just three aircraft losses – a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi, and a Mirage 2000.
“The nations that bought Rafales asked themselves questions,” Bellanger said, adding that French officials have been battling to protect the plane from reputational damage.
The disinformation campaign allegedly included viral posts on social media, manipulated imagery showing supposed Rafale debris, AI-generated content, and video-game depictions to simulate supposed combat. More than 1,000 social media accounts newly created as the India-Pakistan clashes erupted also spread a narrative of Chinese technological superiority, according to French researchers who specialize in online disinformation.
In response to the allegations, China’s Ministry of National Defence said: “The relevant claims are pure groundless rumours and slander. China has consistently maintained a prudent and responsible approach to military exports, playing a constructive role in regional and global peace and stability.”
Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale jets, has sold 533 Rafales, including 323 exported to countries such as Egypt, India, Qatar, and Indonesia. Indonesia has ordered 42 planes and is considering buying more.